Chief Portfolio and Data Officer

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Salford, Greater Manchester and London.

  • Location Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Salford, Greater Manchester and London.
  • Sector Central Government
  • Client Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
  • Job Type Permanent
  • Remuneration SCS 2 pay band up to £149,999 per annum. If you’re an existing Civil Servant, your salary will be agreed in line with the Civil Service pay rules in place on the date of your appointment
  • Reference GSe122238
  • Closing Date Sunday 1st June 2025 - 23:55

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is a ministerial department and leads on the government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower. We employ around 4,500 staff who are based at our ministerial offices in London and in a number of other locations around the UK including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh and Salford. We are supported by 15 agencies and public bodies and are responsible for UK energy security, protecting billpayers, supporting economic growth for the UK and protecting jobs, and reducing the UK’s emissions. From hydrogen projects, fusion and cutting-edge renewable energy, DESNZ is paving the way for a new era of clean energy for our country.

The Role

The role of Chief Portfolio and Data Officer (CPDO) sits at the heart of the Department, working directly to the Second Permanent Secretary. The CPDO will support Ministers, senior officials and other colleagues in overseeing and managing the Department’s wide-ranging portfolio of activities and projects, including those of our partner organisations, and our Data Strategy. This is a high-profile role which depends on gaining and maintaining the confidence of Ministers, senior officials, colleagues and key external partners.

The CPDO will lead a step change in the way the Department manages its complex portfolio of activities and projects, data and risk and ensuring the join up and follow through across DESNZ and its ALBs.

Critically, the CPDO will enable the Executive Committee to manage the whole Portfolio of programmes and projects, including interdependencies, to align with our Mission. This includes understanding and managing the cumulative impacts of decisions and changes elsewhere for the whole Departmental portfolio and ensuring the translation of wide-ranging policy to pacey delivery.

The CPDO will also lead the Data Office and the Data Strategy for the Department to ensure our data better serves our portfolio and Department. This will involve working closely with senior colleagues on the Department’s mission to bring together the reporting and controls enabling the tracking of progress against our targets/objectives, including for decarbonising the power sector for 2030.

The Candidate

As a senior leader you will need to be able to navigate ambiguity, taking your teams and senior colleagues with you, playing your role in leading and driving an ambitious change agenda for a Department undergoing a period of transformation. We will look for a proven ability to build and inspire high-performing teams with a strong focus on delivery and continuous improvement.

The complexity of this role requires a systems, strategic and data-led ‘big picture’ thinker, with the demonstrable ability to translate ambition into delivery and implementation at pace.

You will bring a successful track record of effectively utilising data and insight to continuously improve and manage the delivery of a large scale, complex portfolio, ensuring effective management of risk and controls.

Desirable: Formal portfolio management qualification as set out in the Project Delivery Competency Framework such as APM’s Chartered Project Professional, NISTA, or Major Projects Leadership Academy (or equivalent or relevant experience).

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. 

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. 

Application:

If you have the skills and experience, as well as the ambition to lead the growth of this unique and exciting organisation, then we would like to hear from you.

For more information or for an informal discussion about the role please contact our advising executive search consultants, GatenbySanderson:

Will McAlpine, Principal Researcher will.mcalpine@gatenbysanderson.com 

Darra Power-Mooney: darra.power-mooney@gatenbysanderson.com  

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than 23:55pm Sunday 1 June 2025, 23:55pm.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans

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Contacts

Will McAlpine: 07554 050 236

Continue to full details and apply

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